Mark Olly discusses his book Revealing the Green Man. (Stream / download audio at bottom of page) To many, The Green Man is little more than a chubby face peering through a veil of leaves. Sometimes cute, sometimes vaguely sinister, he is nonetheless widely regarded as merely a meaningless symbol from an age long lost. In reality, however, he could rather be said to be the esoteric embodiment of the very essence of life itself, an ancient archetype once known the world over. On a journey through myths and legends, magic and folklore, we explore the mystery of The Green Man. From the time of the Celts and Druids, the rise of the Roman Empire, the Anglo-Saxon annals, and the descent into the Dark Ages and beyond, we meet with Robin Hood, Herne the Hunter, King Arthur, and many other colourful characters along the way. It is a tale pregnant with arcane symbolism, cultish rites, the perennial wisdom of ‘as above – so below’, and the final revelation of the Earth’s eternal cycle of destruction and rebirth. Thousands of years ago, man went to war with nature, and thus to war with himself. Lost to the land as once was, he became Master of the World, for a while. Blinded by arrogance, hobbled by hubris, and emboldened by his technological toys, he brought the biosphere to the brink of oblivion, to exalt himself at the Earth’s expense. This is our story, and we are not as clever as we might like to believe. In a timely re-learning of The Green Man’s lessons, in the twilight of the industrial age, we are being invited, perchance for the final time, to change our ways, or perish. http://legalise-freedom.com/radio/mark-olly-revealing-the-green-man/ ~ Greg Moffitt, Legalise Freedom

Reading “Revealing the Green Man” was an answer to one of those calls we all make when on a quest ourselves. I was looking for more about the Green King and then this book falls in my lap. It searches through our old stories and traditions into the unstoppable cycle of life, death and resurrection. But Olly doesn’t stop there, he brings in the goddess side, the feminine, which is so important, the goddess and the god dancing together. Indeed, he calls the book “a dance” and so it is, a dance that's very well worthwhile joining in through this book. ~

I much enjoyed this book. Mark Olly has done a grand job of research and pulling together of many ancient tales and so revealing more of the nature of our ancient woodland guardian. Olly’s style is very readable and draws you deeper and deeper into the book. ~ Elen Sentier, author of Elen of the Ways, Trees of the Goddess and The Celtic Chakras

For a small book, this text covers a staggering amount of ground, going far beyond the obvious foliate face to create an international insight into Green Men through history. With fascinating details from the past, startling connections and informed speculation, Mark Olly opens the door not just to rethinking Green Men, but to seeing humanity in new ways. ~ Nimue Brown, author of Druidry and Meditation, Druidry and the Ancestors and Pagan Dreaming

Reading through this book I kept thinking ‘Aaah! Yes!’ and musing to myself ‘I’d never thought of it like that before’ or remembering things I’d thought I’d forgotten as I travelled through this whistle-stop tour of ancient cultures. Mark Olly has managed to link together many of the masculine archetypes of the collective unconscious in his pursuit of the Green Man – with a few leaps of faith along the way – but it is a book I know I will enjoy reading even more the second time around. ~ Melusine Draco: Coven of the Scales

This book is a love note to the male spirit of the green wood; the dying and resurrected God. Most aspects of the Green Man mythos are covered; from green metals (copper), green stones (jade) and copper painted blue/green Britons who attacked the invading Roman armies, to the dying and ever living Christ. While predominately British focused, the book makes brief forays into other cultures; the green deities of Nepal and Tibet, African fertility Gods (and a brief mention of Goddesses), South American jungle Gods, the Islamic figure “Al-Khidr” (the green one) and the Green Knight of Medieval legends. Robin Hood, Jack in the Green and Herne the Hunter are discussed. The Jewish Tree of Life and the Scandinavian World Tree (Yggdrasil) make an appearance. The Victorian Holly King of Christmas card fame and the earthy characters of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis are mentioned. Witchcraft, Wicca and the modern New Age leafy faces of the Green Man are examined. The book will be a satisfying read if you are interested in the male side of things. Another volume could easily be devoted to the Green Woman, to Mother Nature, to the Celtic, Scandinavian, Japanese and Egyptian understanding that the Sun is female (not just male), and devotion paid to the Fairies whose favorite color is green according to Celtic lore. ~ Ellen Evert Hopman, author of A Legacy of Druids - Conversations with Druid leaders of Britain, the USA and Canada, past and present, and other volume